VENUE: Alexander's Steakhouse (Photo Credit: Jeffrey Stout)
From sprawling ballrooms to intimate wine bars and upscale ball park eateries, San Francisco has a venue for everything from a luxe client dinner to a fully produced party. Heres a selection of five top spots from the event experts at BizBash.
For Private Dining: Alexanders Steakhouse
Recently opened in the SoMa district, this tri-level steakhouse offers a variety of classic dishes and cuts with a hint of Japanese flair. The restaurant houses two private dining rooms and one semi-private room. The lower-level Wine Library features a full bar and a floor-to-ceiling wine display, and can accommodate 80. The board room on the mezzanine level overlooks the main dining room, and the opening-and-closing shoji screens make it ideal for intimate gatherings. The board room can seat 18 around the mahogany dinner table, or hold 25 for cocktails. The semi-private mezzanine with loft-style seating also overlooks the dining room and can seat 32 or hold 50 for cocktails. (448 Brannan St., 415.495.1111, alexanderssteakhouse.com)
For Indoor/Outdoor Meeting Space: The Terrace Room, Ritz-Carlton San Francisco
The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco recently opened the Terrace Room, a full-time event space that formerly housed one of the hotels restaurants. It can accommodate as many as 150 guests and can be booked with an adjoining brick courtyard that can be tented. The 336-room hotel also has a 9,500-square-foot ballroom and nine conference rooms. (600 Stockton St., 415.296.7465, ritzcarlton.com)
For Wining and Dining Clients: Prospect
The casual sister restaurant to chef Nancy Oakes award-winning Boulevard, Prospect has a 60-seat lounge and a 120-seat main dining room. Executive chef Ravi Kapur serves new American cuisine such as halibut with carrots, pistachios, cippolini onions, and basil butter. A private dining room, the Candace (named for a whaling ship found during construction), has floor-to-ceiling windows, paintings by local artists, and can seat 45 or hold 60 for cocktails. (300 Spear St., 415.247.7770, prospectsf.com)
For Post-Meeting Cocktails: Velvet Room
The Clift Hotels Asia de Cuba restaurant became the Velvet Room in 2010. The 21,000-square-foot space, which has the same decor designed by Philippe Stark, can hold 200 for cocktails and is available for buyouts for private parties. A locally inspired menu of small plates and entrees is available. For larger groups, Velvet Room can be combined with the adjacent Redwood Room to create 4,000 square feet. (495 Geary St., 415.929.2303, clifthotel.com)
For a Celebrity Chef-Driven Menu: Wayfare Tavern
Food Network personality Tyler Florence entered the San Francisco restaurant scene in 2010 with Wayfare Tavern. Florence gave the former Rubicon space a masculine look with reclaimed wood and antique details. The tri-level restaurant has two private dining rooms. Top-floor Bartlett Room has a flat-screen TV, a wine vault, and can accommodate 80. The cozy parlor on the second floor can hold 12 and has a pool table. The menu features American classics like fried chicken and burgers along with locavore touches like Monterey Bay seafood and produce from area farms. Recently the venue expanded its hours to include Saturday lunch. (558 Sacramento St., 415.772.9060, wayfaretavern.com)
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